7 Tips for Developing a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is critical for achieving personal and professional success. You have to believe that growth is possible and that you can choose the direction you want to change. Here are 7 tips for helping you cultivate a growth mindset and reach your full potential.

#1: Learn to view challenges as opportunities.

Challenge is the doorway to growth. Instead of being frustrated when things are difficult, learn to view the obstacle in your path as the way to personal growth. It’s just part of the journey, and gives you an opportunity to test your mettle. A challenge is simply an opportunity to overcome an obstacle.

#2: Value the process, not the results.

Instead of looking at the goal you want to achieve, focus on the habits that will get you there. Think about it like starting an exercise habit. If you start exercising with the goal of losing weight, based on statistics, you’ll probably give up. But if you learn to love the challenge of pushing yourself beyond your limits, you’ll lose the weight easily, simply because you’re motivated to show up every day. If you learn to love the process, the score will take care of itself.

#3: Do hard things.

One of the easiest ways to stretch yourself is to try and do things that are just beyond your current capabilities. By trying something that is hard, you force yourself outside of your comfort zone and to try things that don’t come to you naturally. A habit of consistently trying things that hard will help you develop your abilities beyond the limits that have become familiar for you. You might just be surprised at what you’re capable of – even if you can’t see it yet.

#4: Add the word “yet” to the end of the sentence.

One of the defining characteristics of people with a fixed mindset is that they use the statement, “I can’t do X.” But people with a growth mindset believe they have the ability to change and learn what they need to go to the next level. So the next time you find yourself saying, “I can’t do X,” change it and say, “I can’t do X yet.” A positive confession by people with a growth mindset will inspire them to try things that people with a fixed mindset think are impossible.

#5: Connect your action to purpose.

Motivation can be a tricky thing. But if you connect what you are doing to a higher calling or purpose, it can provide the motivation you need to follow through on the things that are important to you. That’s why purpose is stronger than passion when it comes to taking consistent action. In the words of Mike Rowe, “Don’t follow your passion – but always bring it with you.”

#6: Prioritize learning over winning.

People with a growth mindset are obsessed with winning. They view it as a validation that they are good enough. But people with a growth mindset aren’t worried about losing because it’s not a personal attack on their character. They learn from their losses and make changes so that they can have a better chance of winning in the future. If you take this approach every time that you fail, it won’t be long before you start succeeding.

#7: Maintain a positive attitude.

One of the things that helps foster a growth mindset is a positive attitude. You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond to it. You can get mad that something you think is unfair happened, or you can choose to rise above it by maintaining a positive attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude, or what level you are going to live at. You’ll go much higher (and farther) if you learn to maintain a positive attitude.